Double-action well pump



4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug- 3, 1954 E F. GoLDscHMlDT DOUBLE-ACTION WELL PUMP Filed March 6, 1952 Aug 3, l954 E. F. GoLDscHMlDT DOUBLE-ACTION WELL PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1952 Aug 3. 1954 4rs. F.l GoLDscHMlD-r 2,685,257

Y DOUBLE-ACTION WELL PUMP v Filed March e, 1952 4 sheets-sheet 4 E; Ji f BY Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a deep well pump, and has for its principal object the provision of a highly elTlcient, double-acting pump con struction which will exert a pumping action on both the down and up strokes of the sucker rod, and which will provide a maximum freeway for uid ow in a minimum diameter of pump.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the pump that troubles usually due to sticking and clogging valves, sanding bending, misalignment, etc. will be greatly reduced.

A further object is to provide a valve construction for a deep well pump in which the opening and closing movements of the valves will be mechanically assisted by the movement of the pump rod so as to provide an erlicient valve action under all conditions, and to provide annular valves having completely open centers for bypassing huid so as to reduce uid friction to a minimum and increase the pumping eiciency.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

Figs. 1 to 5 together form a continuous vertical axial section through the improved pump, from the bottom to the top thereof, illustrating it in place in a conventional well casing;

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are horizontal cross-sections through the pump, taken on the lines 6 6, and 8 8, respectively, Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a. similar cross-section, taken on the line 9 9, Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a similar cross-seotion, wardly on the line Fig. l;

Fig. 11 is a cross-section, taken on the line Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a detail, perspective view of a valve cage employed in the improved pump; and

Fig. 13 is a similar perspective view of a valve employed therein.

In the drawings a conventional well casing is illustrated in vertical section and designated by the numeral I5. The improved pump is designed to be suspended in the casing l5 below the oil level therein upon a string of tubing 28, as is usual with oil well pumps.

The improved double-acting pump employs a pump cylinder IB enclosed in a surrounding barlooking uprel consisting of an upper barrel section |l and a lower barrel section I8 telescopically secured together by means of a suitable expansion joint 20.

The upper extremity of the pump cylinder lt is threaded into a spring-retaining bushing I9 mounted in the lower extremity of an upper valve cage 2|, from which the pump cylinder is suspended. The upper valve cage 2| is formed with a depending cylindrical skirt 22 into which the upper barrel section |1 is threaded.

The valve cage 2| extends between the lower skirt portion 22 and upper cylindrical housing portion 65, and extends concentrically inward into both portions to form an annular oil passage 5G in the skirt portion, and a similar annular oil passage 64 in the housing portion. Two oppositely positioned passage chambers 215 are formed on the exterior of the mid-portion of the valve cage 2|, each extending substantially 90 about the cage. The passage chambers communicate between the annular oil passages G and 54. The valve cage projects upwardly from the housing portion 65, terminating in a cap bushing 62 having oil passages 51. A coupling 24 secures the housing portion of the valve cage to a sleeve 25, which in turn is suspended, through the medium of couplings 25 and a rod-cleaning nipple 27, from the tubing string 28 extending to the surface.

A similar lower valve cage 29 is suspended from the lower extremity of the pump cylinder l in inverted relation to the upper cage 2| by means of a threaded spring bushing 58. The lower valve cage also has oppositely positioned, side uid passage chambers 3|] positioned similarly to the passage chambers 23 of the upper valve cage, which communicate with an annular passage iii in a lower housing portion B6 and with a similar annular passage 59 in a skirt portion 61, as in the previously described valve cage. The skirt portion 61 is secured to the lower barrel I8 by means of a suitable coupling 3|, and a cup-like rod bushing block 32 is mounted on and closes the lower extremity of the housing portion 5d of the lower valve cage 29.

A pump plunger 33 is mounted in the pump cylinder 6 in reciprocal pumping relation therem in. A pump rod 34 extends axially upward from the plunger 33 through the top of the upper valve cage 2|, where it is connected through the medium of any conventional tubing catcher 35 and suitable couplings 36 to a sucker rod 31 extending through the tubing string 28 to the surface.

A suspended extension 38 of the pump rod 34 extends from the plunger 33 downwardly through the lower valve cage 29 and the bushing block 32, terminating in a weight socket member 39.

Both valve cages are 'provided with similar hollow, annular, conical intake and discharge valves, as illustrated in Fig. 13, each valve having an open center and being provided with guide fingers 63 which frictionally engage in the extremities of their respective valve cages to guide the valves to their seats therein. The valves in the upper valve cage are positioned in opposite relation to the valves in the lower valve cage. The valves in the upper valve cage comprise an upper discharge valve 49 acting downwardly against a conical valve seat 4I and a similar lower intake valve 42 acting upwardly against a conical valve seat 43 provided with intake ports 55 opening to the exterior of the valve cage and to the interior of the casing I5. All valves are generally similar in construction. The valves 4B and i, however, have tapered skirts to facilitate now about the external surface of the valves.

The discharge valve 4l) is sealed to the pump rod 34 by means of a suitable packing gland 4t, and is constantly urged downwardly toward its seat 4l by means of a compression spring 45 acting against the cap bushing S2. The intake valve 42 is not sealed to the pump rod, there being an open passage 46 around the rod and through the valve. The intake valve is constantly urged toward its seat 43 by means of a suitable compression spring 41 acting against the screw plug I9.

The valves in the lower valve cage 29 are similar but reversed as to position. They comprise an upper intake valve 48 and a lower discharge valve 5l. The intake valve 49 is open around the pump rod extension 38 and constantly urged downwardly by means of a compression spring 59 against a valve seat 49 provided with intake ports 53 (see Fig. l0) which open to the interior of the casing l5, The lower discharge valve 5l is sealed around the pump rod extension 38 by means oi a suitable packing gland 52, and is constantly urged upwardly against its seat 53 by means of a compression spring 54.

Opefatio'n Let us assume that the pump rod 38 is moving downwardly, as indicated by the arrows in the drawing, so as to cause the plunger 33 to force oil from the lower extremity of the pump cylinder i3. The pressure of the forced oil, plus the friction of the packing gland 52 on the downwardly moving pump rod, forces the valve 5l from its seat 53, allowing the oil to flow into the lower portion of the valve cage 29, thence around the bottom thereof and upwardly through the annular passage 5|, the side passage chambers 3G, the annular passage 59, the barrel sections I8 and Il, the annular passage 60, the side passage chambers 23 of the upper valve cage, the annular passage 34, thence through the sleeve into the tubing string 28.

The downward movement of the plunger 33 creates a partial vacuum in the upper extremity of the pump cylinder I6, drawing the discharge valve downwardly to its seat 4I and drawing the intake valve 42 downwardly from its seat 43, so as to open the ports 56 to allow oil to be drawn from the interior of the well casing l5 into the upper portion of the pump cylinder IS through the hollow interior of the valve 42.

Now let us assume that the direction of movement of the pump rod 34 ih reversed so that it will travel upwardly, causing the plunger 33 to force oil from the upper extremity of the pump cylinder I'B. The pressure of this oil, plus the action of the spring 41, will close the valve 42 against its seat 43, closing the ports 55. The pressure, together with the friction of the packing gland 44 against the rod 34, will now force the valve 40 from its seat 4i, allowing the oil to iiow under pressure of the plunger into the upper portion of the valve cage 2 l, through the passages 51 in the cap bushing 62, into the sleeve 25 and into the tubing string 28.

The upward movement of. the piston will create a partial vacuum in the lower portion of the pump cylinder I6, drawing the discharge valve 5i upwardly to its seat 53 and drawing the intake valve it upwardly from its seat 49, opening the ports 58 to allow oil to flow from the well casing through the hollow valve 48 and directly into the pump cylinder. Thus, it can be seen that the pumping action takes place on both the upward and downward strokes of the improved pump, and that the resultant oil iow in either direction is direct and unimpeded.

While a specic form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A double-acting well pump comprising: a cylindrical barrel; a pump cylinder axially positioned in said barrel; an upper Valve cage; a lower valve cage, sa-id valve cages being mounted on the upper and lower extremities, respectively, of said pump cylinder; a pump rod extending axially through said cylinder and through both said valve cages; a plunger mounted on said pump rod within said cylinder; an annular discharge valve seat in each valve cage facing away from said cylinder; an annular intake valve seat in each valve cage positioned between the discharge valve seat and the cylinder and facing the latter; a discharge valve slidably surrounding said pump rod and positioned to seat on each discharge valve seat; and a hollow annular intake valve slidably mounted in each valve cage out of contact with said pump rod and concentrically surrounding the latter and positioned to seat on the intake valve seat therein, there being an intake passage opening into each valve cage from the exterior of said barrel and communicating through the ani nular intake valve seat with the interior of said cylinder.

2. A double-acting well pump as described in claim 1 having guide means mounted on each annular intake valve and engaging the adjacent interior walls of the valve cage and acting to maintain the annular intake valves concentric with said pump rod.

3. A double-acting well pump as described in claim 2 in which the barrel comprises an upper portion and an axially aligned lower portion, and having telescoping means joining the upper portion of said barrel to the lower portion thereof to allow longitudinal expansion of said barrel.

4. A double-acting well pump as described in claim 3 in which the pump rod projects axially below said barrel and said lower valve cage, and having means on the lower extremity of said pump rod for supporting a counterweight.

5. A double-action well pump of the type adapted to be positioned in a well casing, comprising:

5 a Vertical, cylindrical barrel; a valve cage of less diameter than said barrel mounted in each eX- tremity of said barrel in spaced relation to the Walls of the latter; an inner terminal portion on each valve cage; a pump cylinder concentrically supported in said barrel by and between the inner terminal portions of said valve cages, said pump cylinder being of less diameter than said terminal portions so as to form an internal shoulder between the inner terminal portion of each valve cage and said cylinder; an outer terminal portion on each valve cage; a medial cylindrica portion in each valve cage of less diameter than the inner and outer terminal portions of the cages; a conical intakeV valve seat joining the medial portion of each valve cage With the inner terminal portion thereof adjacent the pump cylinder; a conical discharge valve seat joining the medial portion of each Valve cage with the outer terminal portion thereof a sucker rod passing axially through said cylinder and through said valve cages and projecting upwardly and downwardly therefrom; a pump plunger mounted on said sucker rod within said pump cylinder; a conical discharge valve in each valve cage slidable on and 2 surrounding said sucker rod and positioned to seat on the discharge valve seat and completely close the outer extremity of the medial portion of each valve cage; an annular., conical intake valve slidaloly mounted in the inner terminal portion of each valve cage and positioned to seat on the intake Valve seat therein, the medial portion of each intake valve being completely open and spaced from said sucker rod so that the inner extremity cf the medial portion of each valve cage is open at all times; a rst spring compressed between the internal shoulder of each valve cage and the intake Valve therein; a second spring compressed between each extremity of each valve cage and the discharge Valve therein; discharge passages commnicating between the outer terminal portions of each valve cage and the in-Y terior of said barrel; intake ports in each intake valve seat adapted to be closed by the adjacent intake valve; and intake passages communicating between said intake ports and the exterior of said barrel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 959,321 Dorward May 24, 1910 1,866,026 Gerken July 5, 1932 

